Tuesday, 2 December 2014

Pro-Tip Tuesday: Winter Advice from Roma

Roma Fence’s pro-tips on using a snow fence and preparing your wood
fence for the winter season.

Why use a snow fence?
Snow fences are mainly used as an important tool to prevent snow drifts, used
properly they can also reduce maintenance costs to your home. You may have seen
this bright orange fence used at construction sites, as protection around
trees, or at outdoor events with large crowds. The purpose of the bright orange
colour is so it is highly visible during different weather conditions. The
pattern of the fence is designed to slow down the wind as it passes through, as
a result dropping some of the snow carried in the wind. This process helps keep
roadways clear, and avoids large snow drifts on open areas of your property. Another
key use for a snow fence is to protect trees and shrubs from unnecessary snow
and ice damage during the winter months. Positioning the fence around your
garden will stop snow buildup that could lead to broken branches or dead
sections of your shrubs come spring time. The professionals at Roma Fence
highly recommend using a snow fence around your property, you will see many
benefits as a result of a low cost investment.

Did you know: This same principle is used in the exact opposite
climate? You can find this system used in the desert to control blowing sand

How to protect a wood
fence from the elements
Wooden privacy fences are the most popular choice among our clients, extreme
Ontario winters can greatly impact the life of wooden fences however these tips
can go a long way in preventing weather related damage. Here are a few of our
recommendations for your wood fence this winter:

Do a walk around:
We encourage all our clients to routinely check their wooden fences and a change
of season is a great time to do this. Keeping all the areas in and around your
fence clear of buildup like leaves, plants, snow and dirt will eliminate access
moisture a contributing factor to warping and damage. Check for any loose
boards, using the right wood in the first place will eliminate most warping but
it is still possible, tighten up any boards that may have come loose as a
result of wind damage. Having a fence that is no longer level will definitely
compromise the stability. Some important notes when checking your posts, make
sure they haven’t shifted as a result of the soil freezing/thawing, a key
preventive method for this is during installation, make sure the posts are dug
below the frost line (generally 3 feet)

Stain your fence:We recommend applying a exterior stain to your fence, this adds a
protective layer against moisture, cracking, blistering, peeling and erosion.
Apply a stain will also preserve your fence aesthetically, a stain will add a
protective UV layer preventing fading, adding life to your investment. Choosing
the right stain for your climate is imperative for this step to be successful.
If in doubt head to your local home improvement center and seek their advice,
we have read great reviews of the Behr Premium Wood Coatings line at Home
Depot!

Tidy up the trees:Sometimes the most obvious answer is the one we ignore! The easiest way to
avoid unnecessary damage to your fence is also one we tend to overlook. We
recommend assessing the trees and plants around your fence, take into
consideration the weight of snow/ice on any branches and limbs around your
fence and trim them up. A leading cause of fence damage that we have seen this
season is a result of the ice storm, don’t forget to keep an eye on this
through the season too, some limbs may become damaged during storms and it’s
best to take care of them right away.

The best advice we can give is to hire an experienced
installer. It makes all the difference in the longevity of your investment. We
are here to help! If you require any replacements or adjustments please give us
a call at the location nearest you: